


Gently.

by sunlitflowers



Series: Movie AU Series [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Past Character Death, Shock Treatment, The Princess Bride AU, hook injuries, lady of the lake fighting injuries, ogre fighting injuries, pirate ! belle, princess ! rumple, swordfighting injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-06-17
Packaged: 2018-07-15 05:50:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7210520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunlitflowers/pseuds/sunlitflowers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five years have passed since Rum Gold kicked out the farm girl, the only woman who possibly ever would love him. Heartbroken and filled with cowardice that he will never love again, he agrees to marry Queen Cora. One afternoon, a month before the wedding, Gold and future step-daughter Princess Regina are kidnapped by three people. They are saved by a mysterious woman in black with a sharp tongue and quick mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

Rum Gold grew up on a small farm by two spinster women who taught him nothing by the spinning wheel. As he grew older, however, he enjoyed the hobby. He could spend all day sitting outside in no matter the weather turning old thread into the most wonderful clothing. As he aged, he made it his living. Tormenting the farm girl who worked on the land became his newest favorite hobby. Her name was Belle, but he never called her that. She had been raised at the equivalent of a princess, but the Australian French family had gone bankrupt and sold their daughter into a marriage she ran away from. She asked for Mr Gold to hide her away and thus began their story together. 

Nothing gave Rum as much enjoyment than ordering her around. The strangest and probably the most impossible of tasks were always hers to complete. Shining the horse’s saddle so he could see his face in it by morning, filling buckets with water from the river that was two miles away, and helping him feed the thread into his wheel when his leg was particularly unwell. As the days grew on and their time together became all each other had, Belle was easier about doing these things. True, she had gone from a life of poverty and wealth to someone’s servant, but she found that she quite liked being around him. Hardly anyone else ever did. 

The day Belle realized she loved him was the same moment Rum realized he loved her. They were sitting across from each other at the dinner table and he asked her to hand him his cup just so she wouldn’t leave him alone yet. She studied him, eyes never leaving his for a moment, as she did what he wished. A secret smile was passed between the two of them. Her hand laid atop of his and she leaned forward. Rum didn’t move, his glittery skin shining beneath the chandelier up above them. She caressed his cheek and pressed her lips to his. A small kiss to show her deepest and true affections. He stopped her. Rum had no time for taking in a serious relationship. He packed her bags for her and she didn’t argue too much, getting the hint.

“What if something happens to you? Or I never see you again?” Belle worried, standing at the front door. She’d been here, right by his side for the last near five years. Mr Gold allowed the hug for departure purposes. “I will always come for you, understand?” 

“How can you be sure?” He doubted her.

“Do you think I don’t feel this every day? All you’d have to do was ask.” But Belle could see her saying this wasn’t going to change his mind. Rum shoved a destination into her hands and sent her on the merry little way.

Belle never reached her destination. Her ship was attacked by the dread Blackbeard who never left captives alive. When Rum got the news she was murdered, he went into the dining room and slammed the doors all through the castle. He didn’t sleep or eat for days. He swore that he would never love again. First his son had left on a perilous journey never to return while Rum was in good health, and now he’d sent the woman who could have possibly loved him to her death. Every hope he had for this world was vanquished in an instant. And so was his house when he finished his breakdown. All that left standing was a single, white teacup. 

Five years later, the town gathered at the square to hear the news about Queen Cora’s husband to be. A trumpeted fanfare played by the steps on each side and everyone came dressed in their best formal clothes. Cora, wearing red and a crown of gold, addressed her people with her daughter Regina standing behind in support. Although, she didn’t look the least bit thrilled. Cora explained that a month from then she would marry a man at sundown who used to be a commoner like themselves. Although, and she said this while laughing behind a fan, they wouldn’t find him common now. The crowd cheered when she asked if they wanted to meet him. Behind the curtain Rum Gold rolled his eyes. Music played again and he walked out onto the aisles, prancing and twirling as though nothing were inherently wrong.

 

Despite Cora assuring that Rum would grow to love her, it wouldn’t happen. His only true freedom was when he and Regina went out for their daily ride together. This was only to get out of the castle, away from the people who wanted to dress him up and call him King, or some obscenity for his appearance. Regina continuously indulged him and rode alongside. Today however, feeling the emptiness consuming, Rum continued running his horse. Deeper and deeper into the forest until his own heart beat louder than the hooves beneath him. He came to a sudden stop and looked around for Regina. She had been stopped by three strange men who looked quite threatening. Rum was knocked in the back of the head before he could chase after to save her.

The plan, as he heard a grumpy dwarf, a giant man, and an angry average sized man discuss, was propositions of a war. They were going to dump the body of Cora’s love and daughter on the banks of their rivals. The giant was upset about killing anyone and the average man seemed to agree him. The dwarf, however, believed it was the most brilliant plan in all of the world. Rum decided to stay put pretending to play dead, but Regina sat up. 

“Despite what you think you will be caught. My mother will have all of your heads if you don’t return me.”

“The neck you should be worrying about is your own.” Grumpy claimed. Regina looked towards the average man who looked out unto the waters. Not for the first time either.

“There’s something out there.” 

“No one over there knows what we’re doing and no one in Heartland has caught up with us yet.”

“It’s probably just a fisherman?”

“In siren infested waters?” 

Just then Regina jumped ship. The singing sirens grew louder, enough so to where Rum thought they were right on his own ears. 

“They get louder when they’re about to feed human flesh!” Rum sat up and leaned over the edge, amused as the rest of the passenger’s. “No harm will come to you if you swim back to us now.” 

“You won’t get a deal like that from the sirens, dearie.” Rum grinned, maliciously awaiting the attack. One poked her head out of the water. Completely pale faced with dark holes for eyes and sharp sticks for teeth. Regina’s eyes widened as the siren opened her mouth. The sharp end of a cane hit the siren on her head and scared her away. The giant lifted Regina back up and placed her back in the boat.

“Surprised you got so nervous about it, Gold.” She admitted with a lot of malice.

“Do you think you’re brave?” 

“Compared to some, Gold. Compared to some.”


	2. Chapter Two

The ship that had been behind them in the siren’s whirlpool was still following around the coves of the great mountain. Grumpy, the dwarf, ordered Jefferson (average height) and Tiny (giant) to move this thing and that thing, verbatim. Regina had her hands tied behind her back and Gold the same as well. Grumpy docked his ship so the other one that was chasing them had to sail around for hours while they scaled the cliffs. Regina could climb fairly well on her own, but Gold played up being without a leg. Grumpy tied him and himself onto Tiny who stayed brave and strong climbing up with the extra weight.

Beneath them, the Stranger had hopped ship and was now using their rope to climb up behind. With great speed and excellent agility, Gold noted. Grumpy ordered Tiny to move faster and had Jefferson latch on as well so they would all stick together. Grumpy noted that Tiny’s job was at stake. He was furious because Tiny had been talked about being this great thing, when in actuality, he wasn’t anything at all. Regina reached the top before them, but passed out. Gold was jealous of her for a brief moment until they finally fell over onto the high, flat ground. Grumpy ran over towards the rock they had latched onto and cut it. Jefferson explained how the Stranger was in free climb mode now. They took the half second to rest before Grumpy wanted to continue forward.

“I’m going to stay back and take care of this.” Jefferson stated. 

“Fine. Don’t take too long or we’ll head on without you.” Having no quarrel with this fight, Rum and Regina went on. 

“Be careful,” Tiny advised. “You can’t trust a human.” Jefferson nodded in understanding. He began getting ready by stretching for this. 

Five minutes passed before he went to check on the Stranger who’d moved two inches left. 

“Slow going?” 

“Not as easy as it looks.” Jefferson started laughing. “What?” 

“Nothing. You’re just much more feminine sounding than I initially believed.” 

“If you don’t mind?” The Female Stranger warned. She got another three minutes of peace before Jefferson came back. “Find me a tree branch or something useful to do!” 

“I’m only waiting around to kill you.” She rolled her neck with her eyes to show how bothered she was with this. “But I won’t kill you until you reach the top. I give you my word.”

“Yeah, totally believe that.”

“I swear on the soul of my daughter, Grace, you will reach the top alive. We have rope.” She stared at him so hard it ripped through clothing.

“Throw me the rope.” Jefferson returned not a moment too son and tossed it to her, even helping her study herself as she reached the top. She started to withdrew her shield. 

“No, wait, wait. When you are ready.” She sighed and muttered a thanks before sitting down on a rock. 

“I don’t mean to pry, but what is a girl like you playing Zorro out here?” Belle shot him that evil glare again.

“Do you always begin conversations this way?” 

“My wife was killed and my daughter kidnapped by someone dressed like you.” Belle shook her head.

“On the soul of my mother, it is not I.” 

As a sign of good faith, the Stranger elaborated on the death of her own mother which, according to Jefferson, wasn’t far from his wife’s. They were both working, making an honest living when a man wanted the job done for a tenth of the price. He attempted to get something else from them in and when they refused, he crushed their hearts in his hand. Jefferson’s daughter, as well as the Stranger, was left unharmed save for the two scars. One on each cheek to never forget. That was ten years ago now for Jefferson and his daughter had grown up and moved out for her own life, but he couldn’t get passed it. He wanted revenge. Grumpy promised that, as well as a paycheck. 

Once finished with the back story stuff, the Stranger stood and they walked around in circles. He called her a decent person he was going to hate to kill. She shared the same sentiment. Two clanks of a sword, she dodged. Jefferson backed her up a collapsed pile of rocks. Right foot. Left foot. Body lowered. Kept her eyes right locked with his. They both disarmed each other once, she knocking his out once more before he started getting frustrated and aggressive. Then it became easy for her. She back flipped off of the stack and he followed in the same way with a little more style. She smirked seeing him sweat. He asked her who she was and she got his sword. Holding both at his neck, all he asked was that she do it quickly. She dropped the sword at his back out of her own respect. Instead of killing him, she simply knocked him out.

Grumpy sat a tie around Regina’s and one around Gold’s mouth while the Stranger bested the giant. It took her a lot less time than calculated, but she eventually did show up to face him. They quietly discussed on what to do while both captives remained silent. He wouldn’t engage in a sword battle or any kind of physical battle and claimed no bargain could be made for either the lives. The Stranger settled on a battle of wits then and sat down at the makeshift table of wine, bread, and cheese that Grumpy had been enjoying just before. She explained the poison apple, used most commonly in apples around this land, that would send someone into a painful, deep sleep. Thus began Grumpy’s tale of mistrust she halfheartedly listened to. 

“But you failed to realize I would know that this powder comes only from Australia and Australia is filled with criminals!” 

“Your logic is dizzying.”

“I haven’t even gotten started! Where was I?”

“Australia.” 

Grumpy then went onto explain who the Stranger must have known he was not a great fool and would know the origin of the powder, so he could not choose the wine in front of him. He was stalling, Gold surmised with a tired and annoyed groan. This Stranger was, however, innately clever as she answered each and every question with with and intelligence that only made Grumpy that much more confused until he finally decreed he’d chosen. He then pointed behind the Stranger, where nothing was, and she looked. Gold felt a twinge of fear as Grumpy switched the glasses, but said nothing. He decided to watch this ‘Battle of Wits’ play out. Grumpy even began laughing about his being right, before and after he drank the wine. 

“To you from Australia.” She simply said before drinking her own glass. Grumpy stopped laughing and fell over onto Gold who shook him off. The Stranger went to remove Regina’s binds first. 

“Who are you?” 

“No one of consequence.”

“And your cup was poisoned the whole time?” 

“Yes, but no matter. I have built an immunity to it.” The Stranger winked. She untied Gold’s bond with a knife and a lot of anger. She heard a noise from behind and anchored her lip. She pushed Gold’s cane into his hands and then took off with Regina’s wrist in her own.

“Regina!” Called Gold after them. If anything happened to her, heaven only knows what might happen to him. “Look, whatever you want for ransom, you’ll get it if you release her I promise.” 

The Strange dropped Regina onto a rock and laughed. “What is that worth? You’re very funny, Gold.” 

“There’s no greater hunter than Queen Cora when it comes to her daughter, dearie. Release her.” Gold threatened, but his temperament remained solid.

“You think your dearest love will save her?”

“I never said she was that, but yes she will.” The Stranger quirked an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest and sat down next to that.

“Listen at that, Princess. He says in front of us both he doesn’t love your mother.”

“I know that he doesn’t love her.” Regina defended with a curt nod. 

“Is not capable of love, you mean.” The Stranger challenged, standing up once more. Gold’s fist around his cane tightened. 

“I have loved more deeply than a killer like you could ever dream.” The Stranger’s hand drew back and slapped him across the face with a leather hand.

“There are far worse penalties where I come from than when a King lies.” She spit, grabbing Regina’s hand and storming off again. 

“I know who you are!” Gold called. She stopped and turned around. “The dread Blackbeard.” She took a bow and curtsied. 

“What can I do for you?” 

“Die slowly in a thousand pieces.” 

“What have I ever done to you?” 

“You’ve killed his love.” Regina pieced together, placing a hand on her heart. 

“Possible. I kill a lot of people. Who was this love? Another Queen for more power? Ugly, rich and scabby?”

“No.” Regina shook her head again, this time acknowledging Gold with kinder eyes as he seemed adamant on not talking about this. “A poor little farm girl.” 

“Poor and perfect. With eyes like the sea after a storm.” Gold finished, far off on those seas before switching on his anger. “You attacked and killed her.”

“She died well, you know. Said she only want to live for true love. To see her true love of beauty and faithfulness. Faithfulness! Would you believe that? How long did it take him to pop the question?” She asked Regina, now blatantly ignoring him. 

“I died that day! And you can do the same for all I care.” 

From behind them, what neither Gold or Regina had been able to see, was Cora’s army having had tracked down across the sea and trekked the cliff to find her daughter and future husband to bring them back. Seeing that they were being held captive by a Stranger in complete black, the terror of the entire town, one of them shot an hour that was sent flying right through and struck the Stranger in the back. She collapsed into Gold’s arms, clinging to him for dear life. He tossed her to the ground for cover and Regina cried out in shock. Gold hushed her, promising the Stranger was just sorely injured and well deserving of the fact. 

Regina was inconsolable of a person who had saved them from being dumped on rival territory no matter the history Gold had with her. She pleaded with Gold to heal her, confessing to seeing him do it a million and one times. To hurry and get this over with, he pulled the arrow out of her back without care. She cried out in pain and her hand went towards his. He didn’t focus on that, just concentrating all of his power into keeping her alive while they were being hounded. He didn’t mind going back, but not before he found out who this person was that dared talk to him like that about his own one true love. If he’d known Belle might have even thought a little bit about him that way, he’d never have let her go. The Stranger gasped with hair and sat up, pulling her mask off. The brown curls fell down her back.

“Belle?”


	3. Chapter Three

“Can you move?” Belle asked Gold as he hovered over her. 

“Move? You’re alive. If you want, I’ll fly.” He hugged her tight, rubbing a hand to use more of his magic to completely heal her. 

“I told you I would come to you. Why didn’t you wait for me?” 

“I thought you were dead, dearie.” 

“Death would have just delayed me for a little bit.” 

“I won’t ever doubt you again.” 

“You won’t have to.” Belle pulled her down behind the large rock to kiss him. A definite, for the first time in five years, kiss. If they were alone and not being hounded by every man in Cora’s court she would have jumped him right then. Engagement be damned. He was hers first.

“Look, I love happy reunions as much as the next person, but can we please move? I’ll go with them to bide you two some time.” Regina pleaded, getting up to go sacrifice herself before Belle stopped her. 

“You want to be truly free, Regina? Come with us.” Gold insisted. 

With Rum’s hand in hers and Regina’s hand in his, they raced along the dry river between the valleys to head near the deadly lake. Regina was terrified of being where no one ever survived, Belle was excited about the adventure, and Gold remained cautious. Cora’s men were right in their tail, but at least a hill behind now that Belle knew where to put the distance between them. They made it on the path towards the lake. Moss grew on every tree to resemble a snake searching for dinner. Rum squeezed Belle’s hand.

To get towards the lake and get back to where Belle wanted them to be, they had to cross through ogre territory. Gentle snores rang out through the land and she urged them to keep as quiet as humanly possible. They moved Regina to the middle to protect her. She started to scream when a rouge fire burst had flamed up near her foot until Gold and Belle clamped their hands over her mouth. Ever so often on the walk they would lift Regina and move her so she wouldn’t step on or trigger something that would wake the ogres up. Belle finally lifted Regina up onto her back to carry her, then took Gold’s hand back in hers. Belle’s foot caught in a branch that almost made her fall had Gold not caught them both. Her sword, however, clanged to the ground.

Belle ordered them to run, but neither did. She being the only one with a weapon lead the way after an ogre woke up. She yelled for them to not make one sound if an ogre gets close. They were blind and resided on that. Running had proved to be working just fine until they were two feet away from the lake. To protect Regina, Belle tossed the Princess a sword. She knew exactly where more were if they could only get to it and survive. She licked her lips and demanded Rum stay there to protect Regina. Belle took off towards the lake and dove into it. She could see two glimmering golden weapons waiting for her to take them. As long as the Lady didn’t mind.

She was halfway down when she saw Rum tangled in some seaweed in a darker corner. He was drowning, trying to swim towards her. She closed her eyes, shutting out what she knew to be a vision to kill her. When she opened her eyes, Rum’s dead floating head was right in front of her. She screamed and hurried towards the sword before that became his actual fate. His cold, scaly and slimy hands gripped her ankle and pulled her in the opposite direction. It pained her emotionally to do so, but she managed to break the fingers away. The Lady grew angrier and kept pulling her further and further away. It took every last ounce of energy she had to grasp the sword and kill the Lady of the Lake so she could swim back to the surface.

Belle was lightheaded, but the battle between ogre, Regina and Rum remained. She dragged the heavy objects alongside her and handed one off to Rum. Seeing him alive and well almost made her cry. Distracted, she didn’t see an ogre coming her way. He threw her down, but she didn’t scream or yell. She played dead and waited until it got close enough before she stabbed it in the eye and the chest then slicing him open. Regina pulled her away before the monstrosity could fall on her. Belle smiled up at the princess who held her own during battle. Regina’s arm was crushed, but Rum went straight to work healing that while Belle dozed off. 

She awoke twice. Once was by a campfire and Rum had himself wrapped around her. She rolled over and kissed him deeply on the lips before passing back out in his arms. 

The second time was much worse and much different. She was chained down to a wooden table in what looked like a dungeon. An apothecary walked over and introduced himself as Dr Whale. He was busy wiping the blood off of Belle’s shoulders to realize she was awake. He explained only the Queen knew where they were and how to get in or out. Dr Whale explained that he was healing her so she could be broken as a form of torture and then denied Belle knowing what torture was. People survived lots of things, but never his office. He injected a needle into her skin that made her stay awake for the time it took for him to slowly and gracelessly kill her. 

It took until ten days before the wedding of Cora and Rum Gold for Belle to get her physical strength back. They wired her chest, her temples, her arms, waist. Her mouth was bound as a man dressed just like her entered and explained how the machine was created over the course of a year. It would send electric shocks all throughout her body until cell by cell was fried. They started it on the lowest setting. Water turned a wheel which caused the sharp, stabbing jolts of electricity where each end was place don her body. She convulsed and shook, grunting at the uncomfortable and somewhat painful pain, but got through it. Barely. Her eyes started watering and she didn’t stop staring at the man in black. He turned it off and gave her a second to relax. He asked how she felt ad she began sobbing. 

On the outside Rum Gold was having nightmares about marrying Cora who was plotting to kill him on their wedding night (since the kidnapping had gone so terribly). The day of which arrived and Cora had every guard keeping the castle safe. To do so, she wanted the forest cleansed out. Everyone was going, except for Jefferson who was drunk and wailing about waiting for Grumpy back at the beginning. He began swinging his sword, still quite skillfully, when the guard tried taking him away. Tiny came out to knock out the guard and nursed the inebriated friend back to better help. He then explained that there was word about finding the man who kidnapped Jefferson’s daughter and killed his wife. Jefferson went crazy saying blood was going to be spilled that night if they could fight together, but they would need help. The woman in black.

Regina showed up where her mother was getting dressed to try to talk Cora out of this. 

“Mr Gold and that girl are bounded by true love. She will come for him and you can’t break it with all the swords in your army. Just let him go.” Regina pleaded. Cora stepped down from the pedestal where her ladies in waiting were adjusting final touches to the wedding gown. She took Regina’s arm and ushered her out the door. She tossed Regina into a closet and then made her way to the dungeon for other preparations.

Belle was still attached to the machine with Dr Whale and the man in black sitting at the desk waiting for instructions. Cora stormed in and marched right over to the crank on the machine.

“No woman will suffer in this century as great as you are about to.” Cora pushed the voltage up as high as it would go. 

Belle’s screams rang out across the enter land, her body rising off of the wooden table to at least try and fight off the restraints keeping her in hell. Every single person from the castle to the depths of the forest could hear her screams of pain. Jefferson and Tiny heard it from miles away. It was the call of ultimate suffering Jefferson knew when his true love was killed in cold blood. They hurried in the direction it was coming from and were lead by the nonstop wailing into a clearing at the middle of the woods. They were met by Dr Whale walking through the area without a second thought. Jefferson looked towards Tiny and nodded. The giant picked up the little man and barked asking where the woman in black was kept hidden. Dr Whale, in fear and unfaithfulness, pointed towards the tree. 

Jefferson studied it, leaned against it and accidentally pressed a button. He ran down while Tiny kept watch and found Belle’s screaming had stopped. She was lying there, still chained up, and not breathing. He placed his head to her chest and heard no pulse. Not one to admit defeat over this and needing Belle to get his daughter back, Jefferson unattached her from the restraints and dragged the body outside of the hidden doctor’s office. Tiny frowned, tears welling up in his kindhearted eyes, and he gently picked her up after setting Dr Whale down.


	4. four

Regina fought hard against the bolts on the door that restricted her to her room. All she needed was a little bit of magic that Gold had and she could be out of here. She wanted to help him get out and go find his true love. She hadn’t had it herself in so long she didn’t know if it even existed anymore, but no person deserved to be put into a marriage they didn’t want. Belle was suffering, had been for the last five years, over getting him back. The good part of her wanted the two of them together. She wanted to get rid of her own mother and rule the kingdom too, but that wasn’t happening anytime soon. One of her prayers were answered when Tiny showed up at her balcony asking for Gold. She didn’t need to question why seeing Belle’s body. She knew what true love could do.

“Let her stay here. Go stop the wedding and tell Mr Gold that she’s with me.” Regina reached up her arms to retrieve Belle from Tiny. 

“Regina! I’m looking for a man in black. He’s kidnapped my daughter and slain my wife.” Jefferson explained, a bit of pleading in his voice. Regina frowned and shook her head. She had no idea who that was meant to be. “Keep her safe then. She can find him for me.”

Tiny stayed back, seeing as his appearance would put a damper on things. Meanwhile, the wedding was in half an hour and Jefferson ran through the halls to find Mr Gold. Jefferson busted down every single door he could until he came across one. In this room stood a man with a hook for a hand about to kill Gold. Jefferson ran forward at the man in complete black and lashed the hook away. He saw the look upon the man’s eyes. 

“Belle is completely unconscious in Regina’s room go to her.” Jefferson advised. Rum looked between Jefferson and Hook. They would have a score to settle later if there was anything left. For now, Rum left his room after placing a curse on Hook. For Jefferson’s daughter, for Jefferson’s wife, for Belle’s mother, and most importantly, for Belle herself. Hook would never stop feeling those electric shocks until the day he died. 

Rum hobbled as best as he could on his cane towards Regina’s room down the hall. He entered and nearly fell apart seeing her. Regina had Belle placed gently on her own bed and was administering cool water to her forehead. She smiled at Gold and let him take her place. He sat by Belle’s side and caressed her cheek. She was indeed out cold, but a heartbeat was there matching his own. He leaned forward, hands shaking and creating himself a ball of nervous wreck out of fear that this wasn’t going to work. He looked to Regina who had moved herself to speak with Tiny to give him a moment of privacy. He took a deep breath and pressed his lips against hers. Belle’s eyes fluttered open and she smiled. Belle sat up and stretched, Rum staying close to her. 

“How sweet.” Cora’s voice came from the doorway. She stood by Hook who had an arm around a very bleeding Jefferson. Both men were convulsing with each electric shock. Upon closer inspection, it was due to the fact of the placement of a hook. 

“Good to see you again, my lady. Cora, you’re looking good too.” She curtsied. 

“I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced, lovely.” Belle unsheathed her sword and aimed it at his hand. 

“Blackbeard to you, Jones.” 

She reached into her waistband and pulled out the mask to shield her face as she always had been. Hook’s sword wavered, but it didn’t drop. He instead aimed it towards Rum and attempted to jab it into his chest. She blocked it without moving a muscle. She looked towards Jefferson with the hook jabbed in his gut. Jefferson removed it in a quick movement just as Belle tossed her sword over to him to finish that fight. She pushed Rum back and took his cane to defend herself. Cora was going to leave Hook unarmed when she tried to take his sword, but Belle whacked her wrist, effectively breaking it. 

“Regina, do you want to be rid of her?” Belle called, never taking her eyes off Cora who looked rather scared right then.

“I…” Regina’s hesitation gave Belle everything that she needed to know. 

“She doesn’t. Regina! Tell her you don’t, I’m your mother.” 

“It’s conceivable, you miserable vomitous mass.” Belle granted. 

She suddenly felt Rum wasn’t at her side. Everything around them went dark and cold. In his place and surrounding the castle were evil whispers that sent a shiver up her spine. A mirror appeared out of thin, dark smoke behind Cora. Rum’s reflection was in it making grabby motions for the Queen. He disappeared just as Regina walked forward and pushed her in. A giggling laughter filled the room and Gold was right back at Belle’s side. The mirror was gone. Regina collapsed down to the floor and pressed a hand to her chest to catch her breath. Her cheeks stained with rain that threatened to fall outside above them. Belle turned towards Rum and snaked her arms around his waist. She placed her head on his chest.

“Your majesty! I’m sorry, I’ve been away so long. I’ve been traveling for days to get here before your mother’s wedding.” An archer with a lion tattoo walked in. He went to her side, but Belle blocked it with her weapon. The archer looked up the bad end of it. Regina looked to the man who sounded genuinely concerned. 

“Robin?” She breathed, hugging his neck. “I thought you were dead.” Rum lowered Belle’s weapon seeing the scene. 

Belle turned them away to give the reunited couple some privacy. Robin Hood had been sent away the moment that Regina wasn’t agreeable with the wedding. Belle didn’t trust it, but Rum promised that he saw it. He told Jefferson to stay back and see if Robin Hood knew anything about this daughter. Tiny helped them out of the tower and placed them on horses. Rum’s leg being absolutely abysmal considering the constant traveling and moving, sat behind Belle as she took the reigns and rode them away. She placed a hand on his that was grasping her side for dear life. 

She stopped when they were alone on the hill and faced him. He pressed his lips to hers and let Belle control how chaste she wanted it. It was for the half second he started the act. Belle parted her lips and leaned into him, hopping off the horse and helping him down so she could have more. She was starving for him. Finally, after years of not being able to see each other, Rum Gold gave Belle French every last inch of him that she always had wanted. To his hero, he confessed his love. Right after she made him promise to never let her leave his side again. He agreed. Her arms hooked around his neck and she gave him just as much as he was willing to give her.


End file.
